Anaesthesiology registrar's experience of their training at the University of the Witwatersrand: a qualitative study
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Date
2017
Authors
Cuthbert, Saweda
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Abstract
Postgraduate education for anaesthesiologists is a complex multifaceted
process that balances statutory education requirements, service delivery and
the personal circumstances of the registrar. The aim of this study was to
describe how anaesthesiology registrars in the Department of
Anaesthesiology at Wits experience their training.
The experiences of anaesthesiology registrars at a South African University
were explored in this descriptive, exploratory and qualitative study through a
series of naïve sketches. A naïve sketch was selected as an instrument to
elicit the participants' narratives and purposive sampling was employed to
select the 41 registrars; in various stages of their training; from whom data
were collected. Thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke's six phases
was used to analyse the data. Trustworthiness was established using Lincoln
and Guba's framework.
The participants had a roller coaster experience of learning, where good and
bad experiences played a role in becoming a specialist. The struggle for
academic achievement was characterised by the lack of protected teaching
time and the high clinical workload. In addition, the participants found it
challenging balancing their academic and personal lives. Despite the
challenges, the registrar journey played a key role in shaping them into
specialists.
Each of the participants' experienced a challenging but fulfilling journey that
equipped them with the skills and confidence to become accomplished
specialists. This study demonstrated that there are a number of stressors that
affected the participants' journeys. Training could therefore be tailored with
this in mind and all aspects of the programme should aim to reduce these
stressors as much as possible.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Medicine in the branch of Anaesthesiology
Johannesburg, 2017